Seven

Katana's POV

Damien's car kicked up a dusty whirlwind, the exhaust shadowing behind, and a coolness ran down my backbone.

My mum, in a panic, pinched her eyes shut and opened them. We exchanged silent looks watching the Alpha's car drive down the road, and gradually disappeared into the distance.

"I'm not sure what to make of Damien's behavior," Mom trailed off, pulling on her scarf. "Do you think we're in trouble?"

I shrugged, picking a smooth rock. "I don't know, Mum, but I have a feeling he's blaming me for his aunt's death, which is shocking, right?"

My mum lowered her voice to a whisper. "What if it's true? Maybe your blood…"

I flinched, uncomfortable with her statement.

"She was sick when we came in, Mum. I can't believe you are agreeing with that foolish assumption," I grumbled, breathing out to calm my nerves. "You should be glad that I made it out alive and safe. Can we head to the tent?"

My mum shot me a nasty look, shaking her hand in displeasure. "Child, you stink of selfishness. Do you realize how powerful Damien is? He can wipe us out in an instant."

I sighed heavily, trying not to offend her after all the stress I'd put her through. "It's not my fault, Mum," I said with a calmer tone. "I didn't point a gun at his head while he helped me, did I? Can we just go?"

She raised her hands in mock resignation, and we headed to the camp while I tried to push the thoughts of Damien away from my mind.

A heaviness gripped my chest, troubled with guilt for Hera's death. She had been my savior, and now, she was dead.

All because of me.

Now she was going to pass into my dreams and appear in my visions because I had a destructive gift of seeing ghosts and unsettling creatures.

Everything happened in a flash, and till this moment, I still couldn't believe that Damien lifted me off the hospital bed and drove like a madman to her house.

Despite Damien's aunt dying, I felt no pity for him. He was my mate, and I'd have died because of his refusal to bite me.

What if his aunt's bite hadn't saved me? I'd have been the dead one. My mum thought I was ungrateful but didn't realize I was hurting.

My mate was ashamed of me. Was that supposed to cause me any joy?

The moment we got nearer to the omega tents, I forced myself to forget about Damien when I saw my loved ones running toward me. 

For the first time in days, the darkness that had stayed for days broke and I felt a rush of true gladness. I was alive for the first time in what seemed like an eternity as I was surrounded by warm hugs.

"Katana!" Zayn's voice squeezed with excitement. He swept me up in a fierce embrace, kissing my face. "I'm so happy!"

My wolf was irritated because Zayn wasn't our mate, but I let my human side calm it down. I gave a nod, my voice trembling as I tried to speak. "I'm here," I chuckled, reassuring both myself and my troubled wolf. "I'm here."

"We missed you so much," Laura, Zayn's mum, hugged me tightly.

Amy, my energetic best friend, almost gave Laura a heart attack when she rushed towards me and pulled me fiercely into a bear hug.

"Oh my god, Kat! I almost died! I cried like a mourner yesterday. My friend…I'm so happy."

I laughed at her joyful gesticulation, feeling warmth and happiness wash over me.

"So, what's been going on while I was away? Any gossip?"

"I'll fill you in," she laughed. "You won't believe it, but Derek and Ryla were caught going at it like rabbits last night. Can you even imagine?" She shook her head at the insanity.

My hand flew to my mouth to suppress my laughter. "Ew! Aren't they too old to have sex?"

"See why you're my bestie. We think alike!"

"Well, I guess love knows no bounds," I joked. We chatted and gossiped, but when Zayn joined us, Amy walked away.

At night, the bonfire blazed brightly, casting a soft glow over the crowd of people dancing to the beat of the local drums, and the sound of laughter and chatter filled the air.

I made my way through the crowd. Zayn's breath fanned my ear as he gave me a lustful smile, beckoning me over with a nod of his head. I hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was a good idea to sneak away with him.

He laced his fingers with mine and stroked my arms sensuously, and I took a deep breath, trying to ignore the nagging voice in the back of my head.

Zayn pulled me away from the party, towards his room. Once we were alone, he turned to me, swung me into the circle of his arms, and buried his face against my throat, kissing me.

Something inside me froze up. My wolf growled with irritation, yelling inside my head to stop kissing him and walk away. 

Before I met the alpha, I didn't have any problems with kissing Zayn, but something had shifted, and I could tell.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped back, shifting from foot to foot, and trying to find the words to explain myself.

"What's wrong, love?" Zayn stared at me.

"I don't know," I shook my head. "I… I can't do this," my voice wavered.

His face hardened. Biting my lips, I looked away.

"Why? I've been painfully patient with you. Why are you treating me like I'm a piece of shit?"

I inhaled a deep breath. "Zayn, please, let's not fight."

"Are you rejecting me because of the alpha? Do you think that shitty bastard will accept you?" 

He broke into a mocking laughter. "He couldn't even bite you. Get your head out of the clouds and be realistic."

Grunting, he walked away, and my breathing calmed. Zayn's temper was scary, and his words were like a slap on my face. He was bitterly right.

The rest of the night passed in a blur of music and laughter. I sat on the mat, surrounded by the glow of the bonfire and the chatter from my fellow omegas.

Our mothers were dishing out food for us, a combined feast that revealed our close bond and supportive community. Despite our poverty, we were happy.

Amy sat beside me, her frown deepening as she noticed my sad mood.

"What's wrong, Kat?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. "Are you still feeling sick?"

I shook my head, forcing a small smile. "No, I'm fine."

Amy wasn't convinced. "You look sad. What's bothering you?"

I paused, wondering how to answer her question. I couldn't tell her about Damien and the source of my conflicting emotions. I shouldn't even be thinking about him, let alone entertaining feelings for him.

"It's nothing," I lied, trying to brush off her concerns.

But Amy wasn't one to let things go easily. She narrowed her eyes and fixed me with a serious gaze. "You can talk to me, you know that, right?"

I let out a deep sigh, feeling the burden of my secret crushing down on me. But I knew I couldn't share it with her, not yet at least. I needed to figure out these feelings on my own

So I smiled and focused on the food, trying to push Damien to the back of my mind.

Hours later, I was lying on our mattress, side by side with my mum, staring up at the ceiling. The room was quiet except for the occasional hoot of an owl outside the window. My mum and I were lost in our thoughts.

"I don't know what I would've done if I lost you," my mum broke the silence. "Although I feel scared that Damien would punish us eventually."

I could feel my heart racing, fear threatening to take over. I tried to suppress it, taking a deep breath. "I don't think so. If he were so cruel, he wouldn't have bothered helping me."

 "I pray you're right," my mum said.

We were silent again. After a few moments, my mum spoke up again. "It doesn't look like he'll accept you as his mate. What are you going to do?"

I shrugged, trying to hide the pain I felt deep down. "I don't mind," I tried to sound uninterested. "I'm alive and well. We're never going to be together, and I don't have to see him again."

I didn't want to think about Damien, but the truth was, it hurt that I would never be with my mate.

I pushed the thoughts to the back of my mind, not wanting my heart to occupy the pain. Meeting Damien was an awakening exp

erience. Despite my sickness, something connected in my mind. A raging beast of need was in my body that excited and scared me.